Taking Submissions: Story Unlikely’s Annual Short Story Contest 2023
Submission Window: October 1st – December 31st, 2023
Prizes: $1,500 prize package will be divvied up like so: $750 first place, $500 second place, $250 third place.
Theme: Fantasy, sci fi, memoir, fiction/nonfiction, etc at a MAX of 4500 words
Contest guidelines below. READ CAREFULLY. Failure to do so may result in disqualification!
Please note that we have additional perks and leeway for MEMBERS, see details below (highlighted in green)!
Story Guidelines:
The short story contest is open to everyone with a brain (a jab at AI, or to the screen-swiping, order taking, zombie-like state of the West? You decide). Don’t be fooled by our promo illustration, there are no restrictions on genre: fantasy, sci fi, memoir, fiction/nonfiction, etc – we don’t care as long as it’s a good story. The story itself cannot exceed 4,500 words. There are no restrictions on age of participant, and no need to ask us for permission to participate in the contest – just follow the guidelines below.
What do I win?
A $1,000 $1,500 prize package will be divvied up like so: $750 first place, $500 second place, $250 third place. The winning story will be featured on Story Unlikely’s website, will be strongly considered for our annual (print) sample magazine, and may be sent out as the bonus story for signing up, which means a lot of exposure to the winner.
All three placing stories will be published in the monthly issue, and all three will be illustrated by our crackpot team of digital editors!
Don’t forget about the honorable mentions! That’s right, you honorable little losers, you. Is that harsh? It’s supposed to be a compliment. Anyway, we do NOT notify honorable mentions ahead of time, because we’re lazy busy, so very, very lazy busy. Rather, we announce them in the monthly issue along with the winning story, which you need to sign up for in order to be eligible to enter. If your name appears on this list of honorables, you’ll be prompted to contact us and we’ll send you a fancy-schmancy certificate for proof that you, indeed, almost won a writing contest. But not quite. Plus, if there is a strong showing, some honorable mentions may be considered for publication in our monthly magazine or podcast.